The following interview is a transcript excerpt from The Heallist Podcast episode. Listen to the full audio version below and subscribe to get notified of new episodes.

Uncover the secrets of effective storytelling with Rachael and Mackenzie from the digital marketing agency Sun & Sol Co.  We dive into the world of content marketing for healers who want to share their gifts with the world. Our chat goes beyond the basics, exploring how social media can be a tool for building communities and sparking change when used thoughtfully and authentically. Tune in to learn how to craft a narrative that reflects your mission and resonates with your audience, all while confidently navigating the digital landscape.

We get down to the nitty-gritty of online growth by breaking down Sun & Sol's strategic, data-driven approach tailored specifically for holistic practitioners. This episode pulls back the curtain on social media engagement, emphasizing the importance of genuine interaction over relentless self-promotion. We'll also demystify analytics, helping you understand the numbers that truly matter for your community's heartbeat. Get ready for essential tips on creating content that speaks volumes, showcasing your brand's personality and ensuring each post serves your audience and aligns with your goals.

As we wrap up, we discuss strategies for managing your energy on social media and fostering a positive online environment. Rachael and Mackenzie leave us with empowering advice in this enriching conversation that promises to uplift and enlighten any healer looking to make a digital impact.

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Authentic Approach to Marketing

Yuli Ziv: We're talking about authentic content marketing for the conscious age with Rachael Bischoff and Mackenzie Perna of Sun & Sol Co.

They are brilliant founders of a creative agency with a unique mission. Sun & Sol Co. is not just about marketing. It's about authentic storytelling and community activation to ignite change. They're set to shine light on people and brands making a positive impact on our world. They share what they know about authentic, effective storytelling with others through their agency.

Today, I wanted to inspire listeners to look at content marketing and creation not as just a dull task we feel obligated to do, but as part of their mission, an opportunity to change the world. Yes, with your content it is possible. Maybe inspire them about new ways they can look at it and strategies they can consider.

Rachael Bischoff: Something you mentioned is ensuring healers have the tools they need to succeed, while maintaining the intentionality and integrity of storytelling throughout what they're sharing. That's an important element to connect with and expand their communities through deeper connection.

Mackenzie Perna: My intention is to instill confidence in those listening to lean into their power, cultivate their community, and use social media as an authentic tool that serves them, staying true to yourself, your brand, and showing up for your community in an impactful and authentic way.

Addressing Skepticism Towards Social Media

Yuli Ziv: A lot of people in this space will say, "Why do we have to do social media? We are just here to heal people, share our gift with the world, do our job, be of service. Is it really necessary?" What is your message to those people?

Mackenzie Perna: We all have these superpowers within us, and community building is obviously one way to share this - through traditional word of mouth, referrals, or how we market. Social media is just a tool to drive your values and what you provide to the universe in a way that breaks down barriers and borders. You can reach someone across the world and share your superpower with them through this vehicle.

Lean into what social media can provide you and use it to build community, regardless of location, demographic or people you might not have otherwise met and impacted with your work by sharing it on social media.

Rachael Bischoff: One of the biggest things we saw was during the pandemic where we couldn't network or have word of mouth opportunities because we couldn't connect in person. A lot of people turned to social media then.

Authenticity and Knowing Your Unique Value

Rachael Bischoff: There are so many things that we could say, but what a lot of people are missing out on is their unique value. If that's missing from the platform, then the platform is not going to get to the place where they want it to be. The platform won't necessarily reach the people who need to hear it most, who are actively engaging on the platform.

There are communities out there that need the messages that the practitioners have to share, whether that's an intention they share at the top of a yoga class, or it's something that happened that was a profound experience within Reiki.

There are all of these really unique ties that you could bring to the platform that don't have to feel so daunting and that can still stay very true to your heart. You don't have to constantly feel like you're feeding into an algorithm, but instead, you're reaching the people and communities that you would arrive at a yoga class for. Those same people are going to be on social media.

Yuli Ziv: Absolutely, I couldn't agree more with you. You know deep inside your true unique value, but how do you translate that to the language of our platforms? There are formats that work better or worse. There are certain limitations and also other expectations that come with it. Looking at some of the popular accounts and being heavily influenced by that. A lot of people, when they try to decide and find their true unique format, just get frazzled.

How do I translate my unique gift that is so precious and sometimes even undefinable? It can be like a frequency. How do you translate that to your Instagram reel? Do you have a process that you use with your clients to uncover that?

Rachael Bischoff: Just to speak to the saturated market first, that is a really easy thing to look at when you look online. Say, you're a Pilates instructor or yoga instructor, and you see a million of you online, it can be a really intimidating thing to look at. But it's the same reason as why you would teach Pilates or why you would teach yoga.

You have a very unique voice. It's different from any other person in the world, and the way your message hits is going to be so different from someone who, yes, might look like you and might have similar practices that you're teaching, but they don't communicate in the same way that you do. That's something really important to remember. Why are people coming to my class?

Mackenzie Perna: From Sun & Sol Co., we have what we call phases, and with each new client we work with, we really take the time to deeply understand the business, the people behind the brand, who their target audience is, and what their goals are on social media.

One of the big things that differentiates us is we prioritize community building, so we try to shift brands and humans to think that the service and the product is not the main character, their community is. So, how can you tell a story around how your product or service shows up in your consumer or your community's life? Everything starts there.

We take a super data-driven, research-heavy, intentional approach to strategy and break down every single touchpoint. We then constantly look at feedback we're getting from the community—insights and analytics—daily, weekly, and monthly. We take those learnings and apply them to our strategy on a rolling basis. It’s test and refine.

The best way to figure out where your sweet spot is on a rolling basis because our social media platforms and consumer behaviors change all the time. Some days or some weeks or some months, you might find an Instagram Reels format that works for you. Your audience is engaged and then maybe the following week, they're more interested in seeing an Instagram carousel.

Leveraging Social Media for Deeper Connections

Yuli Ziv: It is super helpful to have this framework because, unless you come from an agency background, analytics is probably the last place an average holistic practitioner person wants to look at. But it is a very insightful practice.

The question is, what if you found your voice and you're doing everything right, you're enjoying actually creating some community connections, but you don't really see huge growth? Is it necessary for a practitioner to consistently grow or have a certain growth percentage, or is it okay to reach a certain point and just stay there, and maybe grow in other ways? What's your point of view on that? What's the sweet spot?

Mackenzie Perna: One of our clients is a nonprofit out of Chicago and they were growing, but not growing at a super rapid rate. They love and established a brand on social media but they were not fully online at the time, so we rebooted them and we looked at three goals and we said that just because they’re not reaching millions of followers in the first six months doesn't mean they’re not putting in the work and setting out or accomplishing the goals that they set out to do.

Rachael Bischoff: Defining what growth looks like for you is the first step. From an analytics perspective, we look at qualified metrics like likes, comments, saves, and shares. At Sun & Sol Co. , we emphasize community, so we also look at qualitative metrics.

Are people engaged with what you have to say? Are they asking questions? Are you responding? Are you DM-ing people?

Social media is not just about what you're sharing from a megaphone. It's a conversation in comments, reaching out to someone struggling with a topic you've discussed. There are many ways to show up that don't necessarily convert to metrics but still make you feel like you're doing what you need to do as a practitioner, facilitator, and healer to support your community.

Even if analytics and growth metrics aren't climbing initially, that doesn't mean a video you posted six months ago won't take off one day or that people aren't saving your carousel for later. It's a waiting game, and there are different fun experiments you can do with formats.

If you notice something is falling on deaf ears, start to play and hack with what you're sharing. Action-oriented content is important. When recording a video, grab the attention of the person you're speaking with by telling them what you're going to cover and then go into it rather than starting off slowly. People have short attention spans, so make sure to follow best practices to see what you can do to play.

Mackenzie Perna: For practitioners, brands, or individuals not seeing the desired growth on their social presence, consider collaborating with others in your community who can help elevate you while you elevate them. Similar to having guests on a podcast, think of your social media as an opportunity to exchange audience eyeballs and information, exposing you to their community and vice versa, while empowering one another in an impactful way.

There are endless ways to see growth, but remember, it's not all about vanity metrics. Remind yourself of the goals you set out to accomplish with social media, whether it was to increase brand awareness, spread joy, or gain a million followers. If you're presenting yourself authentically, you're winning.

The Importance of a Streamlined Online Presence

Yuli Ziv: Social media is not the end goal. Make sure to have a proper link in bio for people to explore, listing services and the opportunity to sign up for a newsletter or email list.

Rachael Bischoff: If you're investing time in social media, make it easy for someone to connect with you further through DM, link in bio, and newsletter. SEO plays a major role in social media, newsletter, and your blog. Think about your overarching marketing funnel and how you're communicating with your audience through various consumer touchpoints.

Social media is your short-form content, where you include keywords for people to find you. Then, you encourage them to sign up for your email, which is a medium format. You can also translate that social concept into a blog post, which pays into search engine optimization. There are many tactics you can use to serve people in their preferred format.

Make it easy to book a discovery call by clicking your link in bio, going to your website, or through the newsletter. Ensure that whatever you share has the least path of resistance, with as few clicks as possible. We have microscopic attention spans and make quick decisions, especially on social media. Consumerism is huge there, so if you're thinking about consumer habits on social, they're very quick. Make it extremely easy for someone to make a quick, yet intentional, decision about connecting with you.

Yuli Ziv: The Heallist page is a link in bio for many of our practitioners because it's easy to see a snapshot of you, your bio, credentials, and a menu of services, instead of going to your website and reading your life story. It's important because people might be ready to book a class or private session with you based on your Instagram message.

If you create an incredible video that moves somebody and they want to work with you one-on-one, but you create obstacles by making them go through your personal website and email for an appointment, it creates friction and you lose your potential client. This was one of the concepts behind creating a Heallist page, so people can easily click and book a service.

Content Production Challenges and Solutions

Yuli Ziv: People may have a great vision and mission, but when it comes to the actual execution of content production, a lot of things can fall apart. There might be a gap between our imagination and what comes out in reality. How do we bridge that gap?

Mackenzie Perna: Social media and the tools that have come out have lowered the barrier to entry for quality content creation. We all likely have an iPhone or an Android, and we can flip the camera, turn on a video, and record small moments. If you have a couple of talking points you want to talk through, or maybe you're showcasing your morning routine and how you incorporate lemon water, or what your yoga practice looks like first thing when you roll out of bed, just record those moments. Then, use text on screen, trending or relevant audio, and add context to your caption.

Creating content doesn't have to be as daunting as we think it is. Use yourself, your family, and your friends. There are also tools like Canva that have made graphic design much easier, with wonderful templates, fonts, and brand colors. It has allowed the everyday person who may be intimidated by Photoshop or Adobe software to jump in and create stunning, premium content that's very graphic-forward.

My final point for creating content is to lean into stock imagery websites. You can use apps like Death to Stock, Stockio, or Pexels, which has a great inventory of content. However, we recommend using stock imagery sparingly. As humans, we want to see the people behind the brand. Whenever you can and whenever you're comfortable with it, show your face, your team, and speak directly to your audience. But if you're a bit camera shy, there are many resources you can use.

Lastly, get inspiration from all over the place. The best way to find ideas, trending formats, or conversations is by being an active participant. Scroll through TikTok and Instagram. Rach and I love Pinterest, and we have a shared Sun & Sol Co. board where we save aesthetics or messages we love. Draw inspiration from everywhere, whether it's online, when you're walking to yoga class, or at the park with your kids. Once you start noticing it, the ideas will never stop coming.

Rachael Bischoff: Finding the format that works best for you is an important factor. For those hesitant to get on camera, you don't have to do pointing or dancing videos like those popular on TikTok during the pandemic. There are people who share slow yoga sequences, life advice, or thoughts while walking their dog. It can be very much like you, and there are many unique and fun ways to do that with video voiceover if you're not comfortable in front of the camera.

Make sure that whatever you are creating feels good to create. Meditate before creating or have a glass of wine before writing a blog post. Do what you can to make the experience as enjoyable as possible for yourself. That way, when you want to consistently show up for the community online, you're enjoying the formats you're creating. The format has to be right for you in order for you to want to show up online.

Mackenzie Perna: Lean into your community for content creation as well. Look at your tags for user-generated content (UGC). Ask a friend to join in a video with you or send one in. Whether you're promoting a service or a product, meet with authentic creators or community leaders and request content on your brand's behalf. More often than not, people would love to create a testimonial or a piece of content with your product in it for free. Don't forget to lean into your community and ask them for help, because if you're showing up for them, they'll show up for you.

Yuli Ziv: Testimonials are something that very few practitioners are fully tapping into, and if they do, it's in a more relaxed way, like a quote on their website. They shy away on social because many people feel it's self-promotional and inappropriate to showcase their own value or successes, especially those who grew up in certain cultures. Some people can naturally talk about their successes without any blocks or feelings of shame, which is inspiring. A lot of practitioners, being empaths and givers, have that block naturally. What do you have to say to people with this block?

Mackenzie Perna: It's very relatable. There are times when Rach and I don't want to share about something amazing going on in our lives, or we feel that sense of awkwardness, like we don't want to be perceived. It's super relatable, and I don't know who has the superpower to just go out and share about themselves all the time. We go through the same things as well. But the way we frame it is, we have this gift that we feel we need to share with the world, and the only way to find the people who need us is to be a bit self-promotional in a super authentic way. Rachael, I'll hand it over to you to share your thoughts.

Rachael Bischoff: When someone looks at your website, they're looking for your credentials and testimonials. For example, someone might be nervous about trying Reiki or any energetic healing for the first time. They're wondering, "Is this person qualified? Have other people had positive experiences with them?" Imagine if you could have all that information in one place.

For instance, "Here's a lovely testimonial someone shared. I wanted to share it with the community, just in case you've been looking to explore Reiki. This is your invitation; this was their experience that they felt comfortable with me sharing." It can be more of an exchange and a conversation rather than just about positioning.

It's all about how you position it. If you don't want to be boastful, you can simply share, "This is a testimonial I received," or "I just got my PhD. It's been a profound journey. Here are some practices that helped me through." In doing so, you're not just celebrating your achievement; you're sharing value. It's not just a "look at me" opportunity; it's a chance to say, "This is a significant milestone in my life. Here's what I learned along the way." There's a lot of positioning you can take into account.

Rachael Bischoff: It's hard. I hate having to talk about myself, but if you can find ways to share, it helps. For example, a few years ago, I was struggling with depression and was asked to write an article about it. The article was supposed to be about something shiny and bright, but that's not how I was feeling at the time.

So, when I shared it, it wasn't a boastful "look at me, I was asked to write an article." It was more, "I was asked to write this article, and I did. I experienced a lot along the way, and I feel this could help a lot of people." That was the perspective I shared from. There are so many different ways to look at it. You don't have to boast, but you can own it and be proud of yourself.

Yuli Ziv: Exactly. That's another great point. We don't always have to worry about how we'll be perceived. What stops many of us from creating impactful content is our own blocks, worrying too much about other people's opinions. At the root of all worries and concerns with social media is other people's opinions, right?

Mackenzie Perna: Exactly. Removing those self-imposed judgments and leaning into your power is key. Knowing you'll reach the right community is important, and anyone who doesn't resonate with your message will find what they need elsewhere.

Protecting Energy and Setting Boundaries on Social Media

Yuli Ziv: You brought up a point that comes up a lot, especially with people who deal with healing and energy. Many sense the dark energies on social media. What advice do you give your clients and people you work with who have those concerns?

Mackenzie Perna: In regard to engaging with social media, it's crucial to lean back into the intentions we set and use social media as a tool that serves you. If social media feels like a dark place, consider limiting your screen time to specific days, like Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings or afternoons. No one's making the rules that you have to be on social media every day. Be intentional about how you engage, what you watch, who you follow, the conversations you have, and who follows you. If someone is providing a negative experience for you and your followers, you have the option to mute, remove them from your followers, or block them if necessary. Social media is a tool you can use to create your own space, and it's there for how much or little you want it to be.

Rachael Bischoff: If you're a Pilates studio owner or own any business, make sure your clients know where to reach you and encourage them to go to one place. That doesn't have to be social media, because the last thing you want to do in the morning is check email, Instagram, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, text, and all these places. Directing clients to one place and a single source of truth and information will protect your energy, so you don't feel like you always have to be on social media to answer questions.

I found it really beneficial to envision yourself walking into a plastic or any material bubble and zipping yourself up before you go into the room, like bubble boy. When you're in the room, you are your own vessel. You are protected by your bubble. You are there to support everyone in the room, but you're not necessarily having to take on what they're feeling.

When you get out of the room and leave social media, you unzip your bubble and have some grounding practice. That can literally be putting your feet in soil, touching a tree, or having any experience that you feel is going to be really beneficial to yourself, as you do when you conduct yourself in an energetic space to protect yourself.

You can apply those same principles to social media, and that's where a lot of people get mixed up and think that it's this massively draining space. It doesn't have to be if you put the right boundaries for yourself in place.

Yuli Ziv: Absolutely. Just clearing your feed once in a while, looking at who you're following, that can be a complete game changer for your experience of social media. Re-evaluate all the time because we're all evolving constantly. Things that resonated months ago might completely turn you off today. Don't be afraid to revisit what information you're exposing yourself to on an ongoing basis. It's such a healthy exercise.

Last Words of Wisdom

Rachael Bischoff: Two things we didn't mention are consistency and making sure social media works for you. People on social want to hear from you and are excited to learn more about what you have to say and share. Showing up for them is the goal, ultimately, in serving your community and making sure they feel seen, heard, and supported.

Then, make sure social media is working for you instead of you working for it. It's your empty canvas that you get to paint. You get to have as much fun as you want with the platform. It doesn't have to be a massive energy suck. It can be something really enjoyable, and you can set up a comfortable space for you to feel creative in. The dry spells and creative ruts will come, but you'll push through them eventually, and you can dip in and out whenever you need to.

Mackenzie Perna: The first thing that comes to mind is treating social media like a dinner party. Make sure your guests are happy, healthy, entertained, being told impactful stories, and being connected with community members that have similar values and interests.

Are you speaking to people from a one-way megaphone, only talking about yourself, or are you fostering genuine, impactful conversation? Reframe what social media is for you and make it fun like a dinner party. Show up as yourself, be human, have fun, show the highs and lows if you're comfortable with it, and be open and honest and open to the process. Social media is a tool and a vehicle to bring you to your audience, to build and foster genuine communities, and tell your story and listen to other stories as well.